The Old man stayed rooted in his spot. He was quite shocked. A battlefield in the middle of the city, just two cities away from the capital? This was insane.
The Old man put down the trays of bread he was holding on top of the table.
"Lady-"
"Think about it old man, two cities migrated to who knows where and swiped the city clean. The Emperor doesn't know about it or maybe he knows, but he let it happen. It's not the bandits I am talking about. But real army. And the house that you're standing right now might not be a safe place for you. You can come back here after the war is over." Li Amm really meant what she said.
Those two armies would mostly likely have their face-off here. And this innocent old man would surely be the first casualty. Li Ammm was not sure if there was already bombs or gun powder in this era. So far, she only saw swords in Ren Shou's possession.
But to be in the safe side, they need to be far away from here. This would be a place of bloodbath later on.
The Old man looked at Li Amm with a flabbergasted face. Well, he too finds it quite strange that the people in this city left their homes easily. He did not participate in any mass gathering in the plaza and just took care of his own inn. So he don't know where those people would go.
But what the lady in front of him had said was something that too hard to believe.
However, he appreciated her goodwill.
"Thank you, Lady. You are not only generous but you have a kind heart. But I will stay here. As I told you, I live here and I'll die here." The Old man's unwavering will made Li Amm stunned speechless. But then she came to understand. When a person comes to old age and had nothing to lose, even death would not seem to frighten that individual. The Old man had truly found his peace.
Li Amm looked down. She had known it earlier that this old man would not leave this place no matter what, so why she still return here and convince him?
Her habits and beliefs in her past life were still living inside her soul.
Liam Drelavine had hated to see someone choosing death when there was an option to live. Until her body gives up, she would not accept death easily. That's why she waited in her old age until death comes to find her, she then accepted her death without regrets.
Was she putting that hope to the old man too?
But she was not them. They have a choice and own free will. She had no choice but to let them go.
Throb.
Li Amm felt the pain in her chest. The familiar prickling sensation over her heart made her took a deep breath. This had happened before. When she first looked at Twelve's eyes.
'Deep breath. Deep breath.' Li Amm calmed herself. Her doubts that she have heart disease resurfaced again.
"Lady, are you alright?" The Old man saw her pale face.
Li Amm distanced herself.
"I'm alright. If you want to die, then die. That's your choice." Her voice was cold so was her eyes. The generous lady was no more.
The old man felt guilty that he wasted Li Amm's effort. Then suddenly, he thought of something.
As Li Amm was about to step out of the inn, the old man called for her.
"Lady! If you don't mind, may I be so brazen to ask you a favor?"
Li Amm glanced at him. Her eyes return to usual. Like those chilling stare was only an illusion.
"What is it? Will it change your mind to go with me?"
"Lady, I am ready to end my life together with this inn. I hope you understand me. But, I think Lady coming back here is not a waste after all. There are children in the west alley. My helper brought them food at least once a week. But my helper went to migrate with his family, no one can deliver them the food that I prepared. I can't leave my inn out in the open and my old body will slow me down. Those children are probably hungry." The Old man thought that Li Amm was one of those people who wanted to help the weak and the poor in order to pay the blessing that the gods gave them.
That's why he thought Li Amm was here in the town and was helping a harmless and weak old man like him. If that was the lady's mission, he would happily help her.
Li Amm who doesn't know she was misunderstood as a good samaritan, looked at the old man in wonder.
"Those children might have joined the group who fled."
The old man shook his head.
"They won't be able to flee. There's no one who would go to them and help them throughout the journey. Wait," The old man went back to the kitchen. Then he returned a while later with two bags of bread in his hands.
"Here is the food. Please deliver and distribute them for me." The old man handed the two bags.
Li Amm accepted it. She asked for the directions first then she bid goodbye.
She opened the door and was about to exit from the inn.
"Lady," Li Amm looked back.
The old man was smiling amiably.
"Please take care of them. If I return to ashes and my spirit lives, I will visit the temple in heaven and pray for you. Thank you for your generosity and for reaching out for us with a kind heart."
Li Amm was still upset that the old man chose to die when he still had a few years left. But when he said these words to gave his blessings to her, she felt warm. She could not hate this good old man who already found peace by dying in his home.
"Alright. When you meet the inggots and saw Old Meng, please tell her I won't have regrets this time." Li Amm smiled as she left those words.